Flash-lamp.



atented November 17, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK G. WALTER, OF ALMOND, WISCONSIN.

FLASH-LAM P.

SPECIFICATION forming part Aof Letters Patent N o. 744,652, dated November 17, 1903. Application iiled November 6, 1902. Serial No. 130,320. (No model.)

To all whom it mayconcerm Be it known that I, FREDERICK G. WALTER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Almond, inthe county of Portage and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flash-Lamps, of which the following is a specification. v

This invention is an improvement'in flash` lamps especiallyadapted for use in photography; and the objects of the invention are to provide means for quickly and eiectively igniting the flashpowder,.for spreading the flame, so as to give an intense flash-light for instantaneous photography or for other purposes, and also to provide means for preventing premature explosion or accidental ignition of the dash-powder.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter, and what I claim in the particular construction and combination of parts will be more specifically set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, Figure l is a side elevation of a flash-lamp constructed in accordance with my invention. Y Fig. 2 is a plan view. Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal sec# tional view. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional View on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2, the lamp being removed. -Y

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in the several views of the drawings.

Referring to said drawings, A designatesv a supporting frame or board, upon which are mounted the pan for the dash-powder and the devices for igniting the latter, and centrally the said supporting frame or board is provided with means for attaching the same to a tripod for su ppor'ting it at the proper height. Said means of attachment consist of plates?) and b', securedr to the upper and lower faces of the board, and a bolt b2, the latter being adapted to pass loosely through the head of the tripod, lower plate, and board and engage athreaded opening in the upper plate, so as to clamp the parts together. Y

In the forward part of the supporting frame orv board A is a vertical opening a, adapted to receive a removable oil-lamp C, which is supported in the opening by lugs c c, projecting therefrom into an annular recess a' cap c3. changed, however, as well as the mannerof l attaching the same to Vthe supporting frame Vonboard A; but inasmuch as the flash-powder pan in the present instance overlaps thev opening a it is necessary to insert the lamp in the side wall of the opening. Vertical recesses of?, corresponding in number and loca- `tion Withthe lugsc, extend downward from gthe annular'recess, and when said lugs are brought to register with said vertical recesses the oil-lamp may be removed from the lower part of the opening a., and to provide for turning the oil-lamp radial ribs cf are provided on the'under side of the same.` The oil-lamp is of simple construction, compris ing a bowl from. the center of which projects a wick-tube, and to one side of the wick-tube is a lling-opening covered by a removable The shape of the lamp may be from the lower part of said opening, and

therefore supporting means of some kind bethereof, and upon this board is attached a `metal plate d, lupon which the dash-powder is placed. At the inner end of the wall D is a vertical wall d', and this wall is provided cen trally immediately above the plate d with an opening d2, through which the igniter passes to the powder. Said opening is covered by a shutter or blade E, pivoted to the vertical plated and operated by a rod e, while the throw of the shutter or blade is limited by stops e. Upon the pan are mounted llamespreaders F F, consisting of funnel-shaped boxes disposed on aline with their smaller ends adjoining each other, said adjoining ends having openings f, while the side walls f' and f2 are extended upward, as shown. flame-spreaders or boxes are mounted on rods f3, which extend through the f supporting frame or board A and are .threaded at their lower' ends to receive thumb-nuts, by which These the ame-spreaders are clamped in ali ady .rood

a rod or standard H, passed vertically through 1 the supporting frame or board A and adjustably secured thereto by set-nuts h and h', which bear against the upper and lower sides of the supporting frame or board. In the tube or cylinder G is mounted a piston il, carrying a rod i', which latter projects through the forward end of the tube and carries at its outer end a head j, of incandenscing material, preferably copper, to provide the igniter. Encirclingthe rod i', within the tube, is a helical spring s, forming a buffer, which causes the rebound of the rod after it is projected to its fullest extent. The tube and rod are so disposed with relation to the wick of the oillamp that when the rod is retracted the head or igniterjwill be over the wick of the lamp, so as to be heated by the flame. The piston and rod are operated by a bulb O and connecting-tube o, and in practice the said bulb is also connected by T-coupling (see dotted lines, Fig. 3) to a tube leading to the camerashutter, so that both the lamp and camera may be operated simultaneously. It will be understood also that where two lamps are to be used they may be connected to the bulb by a T connection, as shown in Fig. 3. By providing a vertical adjustment for the horizontal tube or cylinder G the head or igniter may be caused to operate at any distance above the surface of the pan.

The construction and operation of my im; proved flash-lamp will be readilyunderstood from the foregoing description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, for, supposing a supply of flash-powder to be upon the pan, (in and between the fiamespreaders,) the hole d2 to be open, and the head or igniter j to be heated to the required extent, pressure upon the bulb will force the piston and rod forward, and the head or igniter j passing through the opening in the vertical wall d into the Hash-powder will explode the latter and produce an intense light, the intensity of the light being augmented by the flame-spreaders, which produce a wider or dat flame.

The operation of the igniter is sure and effective, and the powder is exploded instantly upon contact of the igniter therewith. In use the hole d2 through the vertical wall d of the pan is not opened until everything is ready for the photograph to be taken, and therefore said shutter will be very eectual in preventing a premature explosion or accidental ignition.

As heretofore stated, any style of lamp for heating the igniter may be provided, and in some cases it may be convenient to employ a gas-burner, and I do not, therefore, wish to limit my protection to what is herein shown and described, as immaterial changes may be made in other parts of the device within the spirit and scope of my claims.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a flash-lam p, the combination, of a pan for the flash-powder having a vertical wall in rear of the sarnewith an openingtherethrough, a lamp, an igniterl adapted to be heated by said lamp, and means for moving the igniter through the opening in the vertical wall; to gether with a pivoted shutter adapted to cover said opening, and a rod for operating said shutter, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a ash-lamp, the combination, ofa pan for the Hash-powder, a lamp, a tube mounted in the rear of the lamp, a piston in the tube carrying a rod having an igniter at its outer end, and a bulb connected to the tube and by which the piston is operated.

3. In a dash-lamp, Vthe combination, of a pan for the dash-powder, a lamp, a tube mounted in the rear of the lamp, a pistou in the tube carrying a rod projecting beyond the forward end of the tube and carrying an igniter at its outer end, a spring-buffer against which the piston abuts, and a bulb connected to the rear end of the tube for operating the piston, substantially as shown and described.

4. In a Hash-lamp, the combination, of a pan for the Hash-powder having a vertical wall at its rear end with an opening through the same, a shutter pivoted to the vertical wall and adapted to cover the opening, and a rod for operating said shutter; together with a lamp iu the rear of said wall, a horizontal tube, a piston located in said tube and carrying a rod projecting beyond the forward end of the same, an igniter on the forward end of the rod, and a bulb connected to the tube for operating the piston, substantially as shown and described.

5. In a flash-lamp, the combination, of a pan for the flash-powder having a vertical wall at its rear end with an opening through the same, funnel-shaped ame-spreaders adjustably mounted on the pan in front of the vertical Wall, a shutter pivoted to the vertical wall and adapted to close the opening therein, a lamp, a tube, a piston in the tube carrying a rod projecting beyond the forward end of said tube and provided with an igniter, and a bulb connected to the tube and adapted to operate the piston therein, substantially as shown and described.

6. In a flash-lamp, the combination, of a pan for the flash-powder, a lamp in the rear of the same, a vertically-adjustable rod or standard supporting a horizontal cylinder, a piston in said cylinder, a rod carried by the piston and projecting beyond the forward end of the cylinder, an igniter on the outer end of said rod, and a bulb connected to the cylinder for operating the piston.

7. In a flash-lamp, the combination, of the pan for the flash-powder, a lamp in the rear of the pan, a vertical standard passed through a support and adjustable thereon by setscrews bearing against the upper and lower sides of said support, a horizontally-disposed cylinder mounted on the upper end of said rod or standard, a piston in the cylinder car- IDO IIO

ryng a rod projecting beyond the former and specification in the presence of two subscribhavng an gniter normally located over the ing Witnesses. flame of the lamp, a helical spring forming a. l buffer for the piston, and a. bulb for operat- G' WALTER' 5 ing said piston, substantially as shown and Witnesses:

for the purpose set forth.4 E. G. CROWELL, In `testimony whereof I have signed this l E. C. WECKLER. 

